The interview I listened to, brought Brinkly up. It was about him not being able to be that guy. I think, if Norv had confidence in him, there were sometimes last season, Norv could of used him, but, he didn't. So, I see that as a sign that Brinkly, won't be here, if, there is a FA that can help the team get to a Championship, over Brinkly. I didn't see Brinkly being here, this season. Either a rookie or vet will take his roster spot.

I just remember something, my Spartan fan, said, about Baker. He keep saying he could be our Kool-Aid man. Help me out, who was call, the Kool-Aid man, in football? I know Chad Jackson was one, but, I know nothing about his career.

I think they got the RB depth they need with the guys they got. Brinkley can pretty much run all the plays that Mathews does, something they didn't have with Tolbert.

If they have need of further depth they have McClain and Hester. If Hester loses 10 lbs he would regain his speed. They can always stash one of the UDFAs on the PS in the event they need to go deeper than that.

This team is in transition at a lot of positions and they need to save roster spots where they can.

Hester could slim down and regain some speed, but that would seem to be detrimental to the plan that he sometimes come in and block for McClain. They want McClain carrying the ball, perhaps so much that he is #2 on the team in carries. Plus we need Hester still capable of playing FB in case of injury. I think between Brinkley, Baker, and a veteran we ought to find two decent backups to Mathews so that we won't have to ask Hester to trim up and get in RB shape.

Hester was a failure at FB. Not through any fault of his own. He certainly did everything in his power to succeed. But he simply didn't have the size to pull it off. So let him lose that weight and regain his speed. His effectiveness on STs decreased as he gained that weight as well.

Hester is a decent backup RB and a STs standout both when he's lighter. If McClain goes down, they could use Sperry or Brad Taylor as a lead blocker in a pinch. Or simply go with one RB and run double TE or a slot receiver. This offense is better with a big FB but it can function prefectly well without one.

I would rather have a slimmed down Hester than some of the reject FA RBs out there as a #4RB. They need that roster spot on the Oline or on defense.

Hester was a failure at FB. Not through any fault of his own. He certainly did everything in his power to succeed. But he simply didn't have the size to pull it off. So let him lose that weight and regain his speed. His effectiveness on STs decreased as he gained that weight as well.

Hester is a decent backup RB and a STs standout both when he's lighter. If McClain goes down, they could use Sperry or Brad Taylor as a lead blocker in a pinch. Or simply go with one RB and run double TE or a slot receiver. This offense is better with a big FB but it can function prefectly well without one.

I would rather have a slimmed down Hester than some of the reject FA RBs out there as a #4RB. They need that roster spot on the Oline or on defense.

He was not a complete failure. He was serviceable. And the coaches expressed plans to have McClain carry the ball with Hester blocking for him. Which would put a hitch in the plan for him to slim down and play running back exclusively.

Hester was a failure at FB. Not through any fault of his own. He certainly did everything in his power to succeed. But he simply didn't have the size to pull it off. So let him lose that weight and regain his speed. His effectiveness on STs decreased as he gained that weight as well.

Hester is a decent backup RB and a STs standout both when he's lighter. If McClain goes down, they could use Sperry or Brad Taylor as a lead blocker in a pinch. Or simply go with one RB and run double TE or a slot receiver. This offense is better with a big FB but it can function prefectly well without one.

I would rather have a slimmed down Hester than some of the reject FA RBs out there as a #4RB. They need that roster spot on the Oline or on defense.

I saw him make some pretty solid blocks the past 2 years. But he's not consistent enough, and I wonder if Norv thought he would be a better receiving option than he has been. Although I definitely don't want him slimming down and being a RB, might as well just cut him because I don't see him being any good there.

I saw him make some pretty solid blocks the past 2 years. But he's not consistent enough, and I wonder if Norv thought he would be a better receiving option than he has been. Although I definitely don't want him slimming down and being a RB, might as well just cut him because I don't see him being any good there.

He's the special teams captain who is making near vet's minimum. Why would the Chargers cut him?

There's a lot more in being a backup RB / FB that goes beyond the level of play at the position:

I know we have plenty of RB's and plenty of RB speed, but how many of them can we trust? RM hasn't be the pillar of ball security during his time in SD. We drafted Baker, but he lost his starting college job to Le'Veon Bell because of ball security issues.

RB's usually don't come into the NFL and get better at holding onto the ball, he's going to be hit harder and more often than he ever did in college, do you trust him with the rock when the games on the line? I would trade 2-3 young rb's who can't hold onto the ball for one vet with less speed who can pick up a 3 and short without fumbling.

When I looked at the list of FA RB's still unsigned out there I was shocked at how much talent is out there for a no.2/no.3 back. I don't remember too many seasons where you have a back like Cendric Benson, who has had over 1000yards rushing in the last 3 seasons, and no one has signed him. I know he's going to hit 30, but the guy isn't going to be a no.1, as a no.2/no.3 he could be a huge asset.

Bell is on Pro Football Weekly's list as the best pro prospect RB in 2013. Ball security is important but talent may have been the bigger issue. Could be Baker was very good and Bell was just better.

History lesson with Norv Turner: He likes his backs to run a lot, and he doesn't care if the rest of the league is going to this consistent two-back business. When the Chargers let Mike Tolbert go to Carolina in free agency and didn't replace him with a prominent back as complement to third-year man Ryan Mathews, that sent the message about Mathews' role to the team loud and clear. "At that moment, I knew I'd be the guy,'' Mathews said.

Look at Turner's track record. When he took over as Jimmy Johnson's offensive coordinator in 1991, Emmitt Smith's carries rose from 241 in 1990 to 365 in Turner's first year. In 2002 in Miami, the Dolphins had just acquired Ricky Williams and had just signed Turner as coordinator. Williams had his two biggest seasons for carries (383, 392) with Turner in Miami. And Frank Gore hit his career rushing high for attempts (312 carries) in Turner's only 49er season. Last week, Turner said in San Diego he was getting Mathews ready "for everything he can handle.'' Sounds very much like Mathews, if he stays upright, will get his 300 carries, and then some.

"Coach Turner's coached a lot of great backs,'' Mathews told me the other day. "He's told me I remind him of Ricky Williams, which is the kind of back I would like to be. In college [Fresno State] I was a workhorse back. I believe I can do that here. My training has really improved, and I've set high standards for myself. I shouldn't come off the field at all this year.''

That would mean Mathews, who has had 72 catches combined in his first two years, could have that many this season alone. If he plays on most third downs, particularly with Philip Rivers needing to throw hot because he could be under duress early if the new-look line struggles, Mathews could approach 400 touches. He'll have to be better with ball security after fumbling 10 times in the last two years. "I've been working a lot on that,'' he said. He'd better be.

"I really think this year's my time,'' Mathews said. "I see myself as one of the top backs in the league. Now I've got to go out and do it.''

Fantasy owners nationwide will put their seasons on the line with Mathews. I'd suggest watching reports out of San Diego in August, to make sure he doesn't get the kind of nagging injuries he's had in his first two years, and to make sure the Chargers are handling Mathews the way Turner expects to. The Chargers intend to feed Mathews as much as any back in the league. It'll be up to him to handle it.

History lesson with Norv Turner: He likes his backs to run a lot, and he doesn't care if the rest of the league is going to this consistent two-back business. When the Chargers let Mike Tolbert go to Carolina in free agency and didn't replace him with a prominent back as complement to third-year man Ryan Mathews, that sent the message about Mathews' role to the team loud and clear. "At that moment, I knew I'd be the guy,'' Mathews said.

Look at Turner's track record. When he took over as Jimmy Johnson's offensive coordinator in 1991, Emmitt Smith's carries rose from 241 in 1990 to 365 in Turner's first year. In 2002 in Miami, the Dolphins had just acquired Ricky Williams and had just signed Turner as coordinator. Williams had his two biggest seasons for carries (383, 392) with Turner in Miami. And Frank Gore hit his career rushing high for attempts (312 carries) in Turner's only 49er season. Last week, Turner said in San Diego he was getting Mathews ready "for everything he can handle.'' Sounds very much like Mathews, if he stays upright, will get his 300 carries, and then some.

"Coach Turner's coached a lot of great backs,'' Mathews told me the other day. "He's told me I remind him of Ricky Williams, which is the kind of back I would like to be. In college [Fresno State] I was a workhorse back. I believe I can do that here. My training has really improved, and I've set high standards for myself. I shouldn't come off the field at all this year.''

That would mean Mathews, who has had 72 catches combined in his first two years, could have that many this season alone. If he plays on most third downs, particularly with Philip Rivers needing to throw hot because he could be under duress early if the new-look line struggles, Mathews could approach 400 touches. He'll have to be better with ball security after fumbling 10 times in the last two years. "I've been working a lot on that,'' he said. He'd better be.

"I really think this year's my time,'' Mathews said. "I see myself as one of the top backs in the league. Now I've got to go out and do it.''

Fantasy owners nationwide will put their seasons on the line with Mathews. I'd suggest watching reports out of San Diego in August, to make sure he doesn't get the kind of nagging injuries he's had in his first two years, and to make sure the Chargers are handling Mathews the way Turner expects to. The Chargers intend to feed Mathews as much as any back in the league. It'll be up to him to handle it.

Look at Turner's track record. When he took over as Jimmy Johnson's offensive coordinator in 1991, Emmitt Smith's carries rose from 241 in 1990 to 365 in Turner's first year. In 2002 in Miami, the Dolphins had just acquired Ricky Williams and had just signed Turner as coordinator. Williams had his two biggest seasons for carries (383, 392) with Turner in Miami. And Frank Gore hit his career rushing high for attempts (312 carries) in Turner's only 49er season. Last week, Turner said in San Diego he was getting Mathews ready "for everything he can handle.'' Sounds very much like Mathews, if he stays upright, will get his 300 carries, and then some.